Car-coupler



(No Model.)

' J. CHESNUT;

GAR GGUPLBR.

No. 433,333. Patented Sept. 13, 1330.

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j men/i071- 4o ent heights.

' UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN OHESNUT, OF MARTINSBURG, VEST VIRGINIA.

CAR-COUPLER.

SEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 436,336, dated September16, 1890.

` Application iiled July 5, 1890. Serial No. 357,725. (No model.)

Hook-Couplers for Coupling Railwayllars;`

and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and

xo to the letters of reference marked thereon,

making a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in the class of car-couplingsknown as vertical-plane hook-couplers, and has for its ob-A ject toprovide in simplest possible form a self-acting coupler adapted for usewith the approved and generally accepted form of bell-moutheddraw-heads, and which will admit, in case of necessity, of the use ofthe ordi- 2o nary coupling-pins and links commonly employed with saiddraw-heads, and also of self coupling links adapted to the coupling ofcars of varying heights.

My invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement, incombination with the ordinary form of bell-mouthed draw-head, of theimproved coupling devices hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is 3o a top view of my improvedcoupling when in position to couple two cars, one of the draw headsbeing in section to show fully the construction and position of thecoupling-hook pivoted therein. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the samecoupling, on a reduced scale, with one of the draw-heads in verticalsection and represented as in a lower position than the other toillustrate the coupling therewith of cars whose draw-heads are atsliglghtly-diiiern Fig. 3 is a vertical section of my coupling devicewhen itted with my-improved goose-neck link for coupling cars whoseheights greatly vary; and Fig. 4:, a hori zontal section showing mycoupling device titted with alink adapted for self`coupling with anordinary draw-head and pin; lines, Fig. 3.)

A represents the draw-head which I use in my coupling dev'ic. Thisdrawhead is of (See dotted 5o the standard form and dimensions as ingenn eral use upon the railroads of the country, and is constructed Witha flaring or bell mouth to receive the link. It is attached or madeintegral with a hollow draw-bar B, by which it is secured in the usualmanner to the body.

or running-gear of the car. This draw-head is furthermore provided, asusual, with vertical apertures in its upper and lower plates to receivean ordinary coupling-pin D, as shown in Fig. 3, so that it admits ofbeing used in the customary manner with the customary forms of links tobe caught and held by said coupling-pin D. In place, however, of theordinary coupling-link I lit in the draw-head a hook C (see Figs. l and2) of such thickness as that it will nearly fill the entire opening inthe draw-head, as shown in Fig. 2, and consequently have but little playtherein vertically, and which is so shaped, as illustrated in Fig. l, asto admit of a limited horizontal vibration in the head upon a verticalcoup` ling and pivot pin E inserted in the place of theordinarycoupling-pin D through the drawhead and through a verticalaperture in the hook. This coupling-pin E, while it has a cylindricalbody of a diameter corresponding with that of an ordinary coupling-pin,so as to iit in the same hole, is made with a feather or key fprojecting laterally and radially from the central portion thereof tofit into a corresponding lateral recess in the aperture pierced throughthe hook C, so that when fitted in the hook it will be locked theretoand thereby prevent an independent movement of the pin and hook. Theends of the pin E are left cylindrical to turn freely in the draw-head,and by means of the feather f the hook is made to turn with the pin uponthe axis of the pin as a center. The hole pierced in the upper plate ofthe draw-bar to receive the coupling-pin is laterally recessed to permitof the passage through it of the key or feather f; but this recess doesnot interfere with the pivotal bearing of the pin after it is fullyinserted in place, nor does it affect the function of the hole infurnishing the customary bearing and support for an ordinary plaincoupling-pin D. The forward end of the hook C is made to project beyondthe mouth of the drawhead A, and is properly shaped, as shown, to engagea corresponding hook in the opposite draw-head. Each hook isautomatically swung npon its pivot-pin into position to engage theopposite hook by means of a spring G, interposed laterally on one sidebetween the hook and the opposite inner face of the draw-head A, in suchposition as to neither require eXtra space to receive it nor IOC thelengthening of the hook rearward beyond draw-bar to provide a bearingtherefor, as in other couplers of this character. The forward end ofeach hook is wedge-shaped, and its re-entrant or draw-face m is made toconform approximately to an arc having the pivot of the hook as acenter, so that when two ofl these hooks are coupled, as shown in Fig.l, they may be readily uncoupled by swinging either hook upon its pivot,even when under heavy tension.

Each hook C is provided with a rearward lateral extension II on the sameside as that which carries t-he spring G,'said extension being formed toact as a stop against the inner face of the draw-head, and thereby limitthe play of the hook and arrest it so soon as it has reached its normalposition for engagement with the opposite hook, as shown in Fig. l.

The most important and original feature of my invention consists in thefeathered coupling-pins E E, by means of which the coupling-hooks arespread apart vand uncoupled without the aid of any extraneous appliancesfitted to the draw-head and without interfer` ing with the use of thedraw-head as an ordinary coupler with an ordinary coupling-pin, as shownat the left in Fig. 3.

The feathered coupling-pin E, by which the coupling-hook is spread openwhen required,

' is readily operated by means of an uncoupling-lever K, secured uponits upper end, and

which may be made to project in anydirection', so as to be withinconvenient reach of the brakeman.

In use the uncoupling-lever K may be swung around by hand, or it may becoupled by a link L to lthe lower end of a vertical lever M, pivoted tothe car, and -whose upper end is brought into engagement with a rack N.(See Fig. l.) In this case the coupling-hook will be turned anduncoupled by a movement of said lever M and be either locked or heldopen against the stress of its springGby the engagement of the leverwith the rack N. By withdrawing the couplingpi'n E the hook C, with itsspring G, is wholly detached from the draw-head, leaving the latterperfectly free and open to receive in the customary manner an opencoupling-link of ordinary form. As, however, the use of the ordinaryplain links involves the necessity of guiding them by hand in effectinga coupling therewith, with more or less danger to the brakeman, Iprovide for use with my coupling-hooks and pins a coupling-link havingthe portion adapted to enter the draw-head made wide and full,'as shownat O, in Fig. 4, so that when held by the pin it will not sag, but willproject, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, in position to enterwithout guidance a bell-mouthed draw-head upon the same level.

To couple cars whose bell-mouthed drawheads are at materially-differentheights, I

provide a goose-neck `coupling-link P, having a full solid end, to lillthe draw-head and be held by the coupling-pin in right position to enterthe opposite draw-head without guidance, and I form said goose-neckcouplinglink with offsets rr thereon, as shown in Fig. 3, to engage theopposed faces of the two draw-heads coupled thereby, so that the linkshall serve as a buer as well as a strong coupler between them.

In operation the hook C is held normally in position bythe spring G, sothat its longitudinal central line shall coincide with that of thedraw-head A, and so that when two of the couplers are brought togetherand the wedge-shaped front ends of the hooks come in contact theirinclined surfaces will, as they bear upon each other, operate to swingeach hook'aside against the stress of its spring until the re-entrautangles or draw-faces m m of the hooks are brought opposite each other,whereupon they will be closed together by the action of the springs G G.The hooks thus couple automatically in the usual manner. To uncouplethem the brakeman needs only to swing in the proper direction theoperatinglever K upon the upper end of either of the coupling-pins E andthereby turn the coupling-pin.. This will operate to turn the hookpivoted upon said pin so as to disengage it from the opposite hook, asillustrated by dotted lines at the right in Fig. l...

I claim as my invention- Y l. The combinatiomin a carcoupling,with abell-mouthed draw-head and a verticalplane coupling-hook fitted thereinto project therefrom, of a detachable vertical pivot-pin confining thecoupling-hook within the dra-whead and locked to the hook to turn withit, a spring actuating the hook to carry it to its normal position, astop adapted to arrest it 4when under the stress of the spring it hasreached said position, and a lever attached to the pin to turn it uponits axis, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein setforth.

2. The combination, in a car-coupling, with the bell-mouthed draw-head Aand hollow draw-bar B, of the coupling-hook C, itted within thedraw-head to project out therefrom, the coupling-pin E, passingvertically through the upper and lower faces cf the draw-head andinterposed coupling-hook, the

VIOC) lateral feather f on the coupling-pin engaging a counterpartrecess in the wall of the pin-hole in the hook, and a spring actuatingthe hook to carry it to its normal position, all substantially in themanner and for the purpose herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN GHESNUT. Witnesses:

A. N. JESBERA,U E. M. WATSON.

